Review: One Cool Friend

One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Awwww! I've been a David Small fan for quite a while, now I'll have to add Toni Buzzeo to my list. Reminiscent of Mr. Popper's Penguins in the best way, I would expect this to be popular with any kid who dreams of having an unusual pet. I was thoroughly enchanted, because Penguin! but the whole thing Buzzeo and Small get that urban legend feel just right: it's too perfect to be real, and yet, it's believable.

I don't usually talk much about the art, but I really like the color palettes for Elliot and his dad, and the different feel of their styles. These are not densely packed illustrations, there's a lot of white space, and a cool, jazz-like mood. Elliot's dad reminded me of the father in The Teddy Bear Habit, although I'm not sure why: the benign neglect, maybe?

I'll have to read it again soon, since I won't add a book to my Beloved shelf until I've read it twice, at least. This one is going to hold up.

Library copy.

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